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News ReleaseSALT LAKE CITY -- A five-run eighth inning Friday night gave BYU the needed surge for a 7-4 victory over Utah at Spring Mobile Ballpark.
The high-chopping double by Kent Walton bounced over leaping Nick Kuroczko at third base to score Sean McNaughton and Stetson Banks as BYU, now 21-15 overall and 8-5 in the Mountain West Conference, regained the lead, 4-3, in the eighth.
"I need to thank the grounds crew," said Walton. "It's not every day you get a ball with a lucky bounce to break the game open."
"His ball exploded off the ground in front of home plate," said BYU coach Vance Law of Walton's second hit of the night. "I wasn't comfortable when they left (Brian) Budrow in the game because he is tough to handle."
Budrow, who was tagged for the loss, surrendered three hits in a row to McNaughton, Banks and Walton after bringing in a 3-2 lead in that inning. Banks double to centerfield was a key as Rick Cornu dove to catch the ball, but ended up with a probable season-ending arm injury. Budrow intentionally walked Steve Parker before leaving the game, but the big plays continued for BYU.
With one out and runners on first and second, Walton advanced to third and Parker went to second on Michael Bowen's bunt following a verbal cue from Law. Walton then scored on Kasey Ko's sacrifice fly for the game-winning RBI. Then Parker scored on a throwing error by the Ute pitcher trying to pick off Bowen at first. And Bowen later scored on a pinch-hit double by Bryce Ayoso to put BYU up 7-3.
Another Cougar sub, Thomas Bills, dug a long throw out of the dirt from shortstop Brandon Relf with no outs in the ninth after Kuroczko led off with a homer.
"We had a very good day offensively with a lot of guys coming through in the clutch," summed Law. Jordan Muir preserved freshman reliever Marc Oslund's fourth win of the year as the senior secured his eighth save of the season, one off the school record.
BYU's initial run came when Parker drew a lead-off walk in the second inning, advancing to third on Relf's single and a passed ball to set up BYU's first run off Walton's sacrifice fly.
Utah tied the score two-all as Cornu worked around the bases after a lead-off single in the sixth, from a stolen base and scored off Devin Walker's single to rightfield. The Utes loaded the bases with a Michael Beltran single and a walk. Utah scored the go-ahead run, 3-2, when Tyler Yagi drew a full-count walk which chased Jeremy Toole from the game in the sixth.
The Utes had earlier mounted a threat in the fourth with bases loaded and two out as its consecutive batters worked full counts into a pair of walks. Again in the fifth, Utah had two on with two out. The Utes, now 13-19 and 3-10, stranded 13 batters.
The two teams meet again on Saturday in a doubleheader in Salt Lake City at 1 p.m. The Cougars are the home team in that first game because of a postponed game from Thursday's snowstorm in Provo. The nightcap will start 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game and will be the only game broadcast live locally over KSRR Radio (1400 AM) and on BYU Radio world-wide through the Internet.
